Kidder History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe name Kidder is tied to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of England. It comes from the Dutch personal name Kygeir which meant people's spear. 1 The surname Kidder was adopted in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. In Old English, patronyms were formed by adding a variety of suffixes to personal names, which changed over time and from place to place. For example, after the Norman Conquest, sunu and sune, which meant son, were the most common patronymic suffixes. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the most common patronymic names included the word filius, which meant son. By the 14th century, the suffix son had replaced these earlier versions. Surnames that were formed with filius or son were more common in the north of England and it was here that the number of individuals without surnames was greatest at this time. Early Origins of the Kidder familyThe surname Kidder was first found in Sussex where another reference claims that name is an occupational name for "one who travels with goods for sale. Most if not all the Kidders of England spring from Maresfield, co. Sussex, where they may be traced back as far as the reign of Edward II." 2 Other early rolls include: Ailric (le) Chidere in the Pipe Rolls for Warwickshire in 1190; Roger Kidere in the Feet of Fines for Lancashire in 1233; Thomas le Kidere in the Subsidy Rolls for Yorkshire in 1301; and Richard le Kedere in Devon in 1310. 1 In Norfolk, early records there show Richard Kideman held lands in 1221 and later Alan Kydeman was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1275. 3 Early History of the Kidder familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kidder research. Another 73 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1633, 1665, 1691, 1703 and 1739 are included under the topic Early Kidder History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Kidder Spelling VariationsOnly recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Kidder has undergone many spelling variations, including Kidder, Kidere, Kidman and others. Early Notables of the Kidder familyNotables of this surname at this time include:
Kidder RankingIn the United States, the name Kidder is the 5,266th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 4 Migration of the Kidder family to IrelandSome of the Kidder family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Kidder were among those contributors: Kidder Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Kidder Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Kidder Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
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